"SpaceX's Request to Double Rocket Launches from 50 to 100 Rejected Again by California"

Second Rejection from California
Musk Claims "Political Discrimination," Lawsuit Underway
No Effective Way to Block Launches Even If They Proceed
Musk: "Federal Government Jurisdiction"

SpaceX, led by Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, applied to double the annual number of rocket launches from Vandenberg Space Force Base in Southern California, but was denied by regulatory authorities.

SpaceX

According to U.S. political news outlet Politico, the California Coastal Commission, which oversees the state's coastal environment, unanimously rejected a request from the U.S. Space Force on August 14 (local time) to increase SpaceX's annual rocket launches from 50 to 100.

The commission members explained that they rejected the request because the military did not properly submit data on how increasing the number of rocket launches would affect the nearby ecosystem or local communities.

In fact, no representatives from the Space Force or SpaceX attended the commission's vote, and it was reported that they did not respond to related inquiries from the commission's staff.

This is the second time the commission has rejected a request to increase SpaceX's rocket launch frequency. In October of last year, the commission also rejected a request from the Space Force to raise the annual launch cap from 36 to 50, with 4 votes in favor and 6 against.

At that time, there was significant controversy over whether political influence played a role in the decision. The argument was that Musk, who supported Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, may have been disadvantaged due to his political stance. In fact, four members of the commission were appointed by Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom. Politico reported that some commissioners even brought up Musk's support for Trump during deliberations.

At the time, Governor Newsom defended Musk, saying, "I'm on Elon's side," but Musk filed a lawsuit in federal court claiming he was subjected to "political discrimination" over the decision, and the case is ongoing.

It remains uncertain whether the Space Force and SpaceX will comply with the commission's two consecutive rejections. Even after last October's request was denied, the Space Force and SpaceX went ahead with a total of 51 rocket launches in 2024. Their justification is that rocket launch missions fall under "federal government jurisdiction" and are not subject to state regulation.

The Coastal Commission counters this argument by stating that a significant number of SpaceX's rocket launches are commercial and do not carry military payloads, making them subject to regulation. However, Politico reported that even if SpaceX increases its launch frequency, the commission realistically has no effective means to stop it.